This recording of an OK2Ask online professional learning session from March 2018, opens in Adobe Connect. Effective formative assessment can improve student learning. Explore how the use of infographics as a formative assessment strategy can both engage students and improve learning. This workshop will help you understand what infographics are, what makes them effective, and how powerful they can be when infused into content-area instruction. Infographic creation requires the application of a range of critical skills, such as synthesis, analysis, organization, and creativity. In order to summarize and convey information correctly, clearly, and concisely, students must understand the material and their audience. Join us and learn how to get started using infographics for formative assessment. Participants will: 1. Understand what infographics are and the elements that make them effective; 2. Explore strategies for using infographics to gather evidence of student progress; and 3. Plan for student use of infographics as formative assessment. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.

In the Classroom

The archive of this teacher-friendly, hands-on webinar will empower and inspire you to use learning technology in the classroom and for professional productivity. As appropriate, specific classroom examples and ideas have been shared. View the session with a few of your teaching colleagues to find and share new ideas. Find additional information and links to tools at the session resource page. Learn more about OK2Ask and upcoming sessions here.

This recording of an OK2Ask online professional learning session from March 2018, opens in Adobe Connect. Enrich and improve student writing with digital storytelling - giving written stories voice, imagery, and power. Learn to promote higher level thinking while students develop creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills to take narratives to the next level. In this workshop, we will begin by exploring ways to improve writing with story development steps and tools; discover tech tools for editing and sharing student drafts; and finally, discuss strategies for collaborative writing. Participants will: 1. Learn how digital storytelling can enrich narrative writing; 2. Discover ways to improve narrative writing with story development steps and tools; and 3. Explore a variety of web-based tools and resources to improve writing. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.

In the Classroom

The archive of this teacher-friendly, hands-on webinar will empower and inspire you to use learning technology in the classroom and for professional productivity. As appropriate, specific classroom examples and ideas have been shared. View the session with a few of your teaching colleagues to find and share new ideas. Find additional information and links to tools at the session resource page. Learn more about OK2Ask and upcoming sessions here.

This recording of an OK2Ask online professional learning session from February 2018, opens in Adobe Connect. Making a learning environment accessible for everyone is critical to a successful inclusive classroom. Today's classrooms are diverse and include English Language Learners and students with learning challenges, whether they have been identified or not. Every teacher needs to be able to create and deliver content in a way that is accessible to each individual student. Fortunately, teachers already have free technologies at their disposal to assist with this. Join us as we explore strategies and tools that facilitate an inclusive learning environment. Participants will: 1. Understand the importance of accessibility; 2. Explore Microsoft tools that can be used to create accessible materials; and 3. Identify an easy new habit, hack, and/or tool they can adopt to help make material accessible for their students. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.

In the Classroom

The archive of this teacher-friendly, hands-on webinar will empower and inspire you to use learning technology in the classroom and for professional productivity. As appropriate, specific classroom examples and ideas have been shared. View the session with a few of your teaching colleagues to find and share new ideas. Find additional information and links to tools at the session resource page. Learn more about OK2Ask and upcoming sessions here.

This recording of an OK2Ask online professional learning session from January 2018, opens in Adobe Connect. Visual literacy is quickly becoming a "must-have" skill. Infusing comics in your instruction can help students easily learn and practice these skills. In this workshop, you will learn to help students create comics that both show their visual literacy skills and demonstrate comprehension of the content they are learning. Participants will: 1. Learn to use comics to teach visual literacy strategies; 2. Explore tools to create Comics; and 3. Discuss assessment strategies for the use of comics in the classroom. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.

In the Classroom

The archive of this teacher-friendly, hands-on webinar will empower and inspire you to use learning technology in the classroom and for professional productivity. As appropriate, specific classroom examples and ideas have been shared. View the session with a few of your teaching colleagues to find and share new ideas. Find additional information and links to tools at the session resource page. Learn more about OK2Ask and upcoming sessions here.

Web Literacy for Student Fact-Checkers is a timely ebook containing strategies for determining the truth of online statements. Each chapter discusses specific information on how to find deleted pages, who paid for a website, and using context clues to determine truthfulness in statements.

In the Classroom

Include this ebook with your resources when teaching online safety to students. Share a link on your class website or newsletter for parents. The short chapters work well with providing a lesson of the week with different techniques for determining the validity of web content. Share portions of the book on your interactive whiteboard or projector during classroom discussion. Use your smart board tools to highlight important content as you take a look at online information together as a class. No smart board? No problem! Use your projector and eMargin, reviewed here, to highlight and annotate as a class. Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here, to compare and contrast different versions of an online article. When finished, have students make a multimedia presentation using one of the many TeachersFirst Edge tools to share their research into online information. Some tool suggestions are (click on the tool name to access the review): Visme, Adobe Spark, Plotagon, and My Simpleshow.

As an ongoing activity have students create blogs sharing online safety tips using Telegra.ph, here. There is no registration with Telegra.ph, and you'll get a unique URL for sharing. With Telegra.ph you just click on an icon to upload images from your computer, add a YouTube or Vimeo, or Twitter links.

This recording of an OK2Ask online professional learning session from January 2018, opens in Adobe Connect. Inspire technology integrated lessons for student learning based on web-based resources. Learn about the features and benefits of your free TeachersFirst membership. This session will briefly share how to find and use resources on TeachersFirst to help you save time. Remember, it is OK2Ask questions at any time! Participants will: 1. Explore TeachersFirst membership features; 2. Identify and share resources to support classroom instruction; and 3. Prepare to use the features of TeachersFirst membership to maximize student learning. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.

In the Classroom

The archive of this teacher-friendly, hands-on webinar will empower and inspire you to use learning technology in the classroom and for professional productivity. As appropriate, specific classroom examples and ideas have been shared. View the session with a few of your teaching colleagues to find and share new ideas. Find additional information and links to tools at the session resource page. Learn more about OK2Ask and upcoming sessions here.

This recording of an OK2Ask online professional learning session from November 2017, opens in Adobe Connect. Transform your classroom activities by learning how to use Sutori. Engage students and deepen content area knowledge through digital stories. Text, audio, video, discussion forums, and quiz questions bring additional context to content area instruction for your students. Use student-created visual stories and timelines as formative assessment. Brainstorm with others how you and your students can use Sutori in your classroom. Participants will: 1. Learn basic use of Sutori; 2. Explore three different ways to use Sutori in the classroom; and 3. Plan for the use of Sutori in the classroom. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.

In the Classroom

The archive of this teacher-friendly, hands-on webinar will empower and inspire you to use learning technology in the classroom and for professional productivity. As appropriate, specific classroom examples and ideas have been shared. View the session with a few of your teaching colleagues to find and share new ideas. Find additional information and links to tools at the session resource page. Learn more about OK2Ask and upcoming sessions here.

In the Classroom

Take advantage of the free materials provided by Peekapak to introduce or reinforce social-emotional lessons in your classroom. Share the included digital books on classroom computers. After your lessons, have students contribute to an online bulletin board of the important terms they learned from this site using a tool such as Dotstorming, reviewed here. Then ask students to vote on each word they agree with. Tally up the votes. At this point, you can create a word cloud of the words or allow students to create their own using a tool such as Word Clouds for Kids, reviewed here.

This recording of an OK2Ask online professional learning session from October 2017, opens in Adobe Connect. As digital media increasingly replaces traditional media, students must have the skills to think critically about these new types of texts. Media literacy - the ability to skillfully read and write in a wide range of message forms - allows students to identify themes and issues emerging from popular culture. Media literacy standards have been incorporated across content areas and grade levels in all 50 states. Join us to learn more about this information age survival skill and how to prepare lessons in time for media literacy week. Participants will: 1. Understand the importance of teaching media literacy in the classroom; 2. Explore media literacy resources; and 3. Learn to use the 5 key questions of media literacy when planning lessons. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.

In the Classroom

The archive of this teacher-friendly, hands-on webinar will empower and inspire you to use learning technology in the classroom and for professional productivity. As appropriate, specific classroom examples and ideas have been shared. View the session with a few of your teaching colleagues to find and share new ideas. Find additional information and links to tools at the session resource page. Learn more about OK2Ask and upcoming sessions here.

Teaching Children Philosophy offers a large list of favorite children's books to use when discussing philosophical ideas with students. Choose from the alphabetical book list or select from topics including ethics, the mind, and more. Each book's suggestions include a summary of the plot, discussion guidelines, and philosophical discussion questions.

In the Classroom

Although created using children's books, this site is perfect for introducing philosophical discussions to students of any age. Choose two books that represent different sides of an issue to share with your class. Then have students create an annotated image demonstrating their viewpoint including text boxes and related links using a tool such as Thinglink, reviewed here. Create a mind map including different ideas represented within topics using a tool such as Mindmeister, reviewed here.

Cool School offers a game for learning conflict resolution in different school situations. Choose a school location on the map to view a short animated activity, then select a response to the problem. Earn trophies and certificates for completed activities.

In the Classroom

Introduce the Cool School Game on your projector or on an interactive whiteboard as part of your conflict resolution lessons. Discuss different solutions to each situation, and also consequences of wrong choices. Have students explore further on their own on classroom computers. Ask students to create an online or printed comic demonstrating resolutions to conflicts that occur in your classroom. First, have students create a rough draft of their comic using Printable Comic Strip Templates, reviewed here. Then, for younger students use a tool like Comic Creator, reviewed here, to create a simple comic using one or two characters. For older students, you might want to use Write Comics, reviewed here, to create a comic strip.

Coaching Boys Into Men is a prevention program for athletic coaches to teach young men healthy relationship skills and that violence doesn't equal strength. Tools include several downloads such as posters and step by step lessons to integrate into weekly training sessions.

In the Classroom

Share this program with your school's athletic coaches, physical education teachers, school counselors, and parents who coach athletic teams. Use the program locator to find nearby communities involved with the program. Invite a local coach to speak to young men in your school regarding healthy relationship skills. Have students create a newspaper featuring sports role models using a site such as Zinepal, reviewed here. On Zinepal, click "Start with a blank e-Book."

Turn uncomfortable, sensitive topic discussions in your classroom into a learning tool for developing critical thinking skills with NewseumEd's guidelines for helping you and your students discuss issues respectfully. Topics like racial tensions, politics, and religion can become a classroom learning tool to teach the art of dialogue and to increase respectful public speaking, confidence, engagement, and listening skills. Read and use the four guidelines: confidence in your content, respectfulness of your participants, asking questions, and encouraging debate, and be the best the facilitator you can be. You must be a registered NewseumEd member to access this resource; however, membership is free.

In the Classroom

Have this lesson handy when a controversial or contentious subject emerges. You just never know when that will happen, but you can run with it if you prepare using these NewseumEd guidelines. Share them with students, so they will understand what they need to do to participate successfully in a discussion or debate. Are there no issues at hand? Try finding one using Teachable Moments, reviewed here. At Teachable Moments find lesson plans based on articles and current topics, ready for download in PDF format. Try giving students a choice! Show them several subjects and use Dotstorming, reviewed here, to comment and vote on topics for the discussion. Use the opportunity to hone students information literacy skills by reviewing how to evaluate and cite sources. Once they have researched their topic, and are ready to discuss, use a tool such as Socratic Smackdown, reviewed here, to practice their discussion and argument strategies. With older students, a next step might be to take the debate public using Virtual Debate, reviewed here, which has online examples and resources for conducting virtual debates, or ProConIt, reviewed here, where you create a debate or ask specific questions of a group or the entire web.

The Ultimate Parent's Guide to Internet Safety is a comprehensive infographic providing facts on the use of the Internet by children. Scroll through the page to learn about the use of mobile devices and the Internet beginning with kids as young as one-year-old. Continue down the page to learn about the most popular social media sites, the amount of time typically spent online by children, and typical use of the Internet by teens. Other information provides tips for knowing when teens are in trouble online due to cyberbullying or misuse of the Internet. This infographic is also available in PDF format or copy and paste the embed code to post on your web page.

In the Classroom

This site contains valuable information to share with parents and students. Include a link to the site on your class webpage and consider sharing during Open House events. Share with your school's guidance counselor. View this site with students on an interactive whiteboard. Ask them to use an online poster creator, such as Padlet, reviewed here, to share additional Internet safety tips and information. Challenge cooperative learning groups to create weekly or monthly podcasts sharing Internet safety tips. Use a tool such as podOmatic, reviewed here.

This editor's choice curated list of reviewed resources focuses on digital citizenship. Explore topics such as: protecting your digital footprint, protecting your identity, 'netiquette, and much more. Find varying levels of information for different age groups and materials to help parents cooperate in educating their children about digital citizenship.

In the Classroom

Use this entire collection or simply select the best ones for YOUR students to continually model good digital citizenship. Share the links with parents and among your colleagues so you can promote positive action instead of fear about the Internet.

This recording of an OK2Ask online professional development session from January 2017, opens in Adobe Connect. Come to this TeachersFirst Ok2Ask webinar and see digital storytelling as an effective way to learn content. Building on our fall session, learn how to successfully implement a digital storytelling project in your science, social studies, health, or other content area classes. Discover ways to improve student communication skills. Explore options for integrating a digital storytelling unit into your curriculum. Our digital storytelling guest expert, author, speaker, writer, Bernajean Porter, joins us to continue our journey into digital storytelling. Remember, it's OK2Ask'®. As a result of this session teachers will: (1) Discover ways to integrate digital storytelling into any content area; (2) Understand steps for successful implementation of a digital storytelling project; and (3) Plan a project that integrates digital storytelling into science, social studies, or math curriculum. This session is for teachers at ALL technology comfort levels.

In the Classroom

The archive of this teacher-friendly, hands-on webinar will empower and inspire you to use learning technology in the classroom and for professional productivity. As appropriate, specific classroom examples and ideas have been shared. View the session with a few of your teaching colleagues to find and share new ideas. Find additional information and links to tools at the session resource page. Learn more about OK2Ask and upcoming sessions here.

Professor Garfield offers many entertaining activities to promote literacy and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, and Art) education, with America's favorite cat featured as the resident "edu-cat-or." Begin by choosing from options such as Explore, Play, Create, Read, or Steamed to view offerings. In addition to games and activities for kids, Professor Garfield contains a large teacher resource area. Choose the Instructional Materials link in this area to find content categorized by grade, standards, and specific content topic. Videos reside on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable. You could always view them at home and bring them to class "on a stick" to share. Use a tool such as KeepVid, reviewed here, to download the videos from YouTube.

In the Classroom

Create a link on classroom computers for students to explore and play games on their own. The site is a little difficult to navigate; you may want to introduce it on your interactive whiteboard and demonstrate how to find specific activities and content. Be sure to share a link to Professor Garfield on your class website for student use at home. Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here, to compare two different stories read on the Professor Garfield site.

This recording of an OK2Ask online professional development session from July 2016, opens in Adobe Connect. Explore three online tools that will help you with formative assessment. Understand the three steps in the formative assessment feedback loop. Discuss and learn ways to use formative assessment to increase gains in student learning. Use exploration time to discover and discuss how selected resources can be utilized in your classroom. A question/answer period will be available to help with individual questions. As a result of this session and through individual follow-up, participants will: (1) Understand the three steps in the formative assessment feedback loop to support learning gains; (2) Explore and evaluate the three online tools for formative assessment; (3) Find ways to use formative assessment to increase targeted feedback; (4) Discover ways to set goals to meet targeted learning goals; and (5) Make detailed plans for including formative assessments in daily lessons. Have free exploration time for finding ways to integrate these tools into your curriculum. This session is for teachers at ALL technology comfort levels. Remember, it is OK2Ask'® questions at any time!

In the Classroom

The archive of this teacher-friendly, hands-on webinar will empower and inspire you to use learning technology in the classroom and for professional productivity. As appropriate, specific classroom examples and ideas have been shared. View the session with a few of your teaching colleagues to find and share new ideas. Find additional information and links to tools at the session resource page. Learn more about OK2Ask and upcoming sessions here.

Choose2Matter invites people to discover that what they do matters and to take action on their dreams and passions. Download the free ebook Genius Matters: A Framework For
Epic Transformation. Find the First 20 Days as a guide to students becoming mentors and role models in their community. See the Manifesto challenging students to acknowledge and use the gifts and strengths within them.This site includes advertising.

In the Classroom

Share this site with students as an example of how they can learn to take power over their lives and recognize their strengths. After reading and discussing the manifesto, have students upload a photo they have taken and add voice bubbles with their personal manifesto using a tool such as Superlame, reviewed here. Genius Matters has two lessons that feature Thrively, which helps students discover and explore their passion. See the TeachersFirst review of Thrively, here.

Mindfulness Integration offers resources and tips for slowing down and appreciating life in a mindful way. Choose the Resources link to find videos, articles, and guided meditations, teaching the tools of behaving in a mindful manner. If your district blocks YouTube, then they may not be viewable. You could always view the videos at home and bring them to class "on a stick" to share. Use a tool such as KeepVid, reviewed here, to download the videos from YouTube.This site includes advertising.

In the Classroom

Use the videos on the site to learn more about mindfulness and how to achieve it in ten days. Share them on your interactive whiteboard as you and your students work together to achieve mindfulness throughout your day. Challenge cooperative learning groups to create videos using wevideo, reviewed here, that discuss mindfulness. Share the videos on a site such as TeacherTube, reviewed here. Use an online poster creator, like Web Poster Wizard, reviewed here, to create posters for a classroom bulletin board display.